(7)
Apollos spent the day in fear. On this day, his mood was full and passionate at first, and he wanted to spend another day completing the finishing touches on the work.
However, contrary to expectations, God always seemed to be joking with him. The two women in his paintings suddenly had the idea of going out for adventure, and his mood suddenly became heavy.
Although this worried state was relieved when Zichai and Su Qing returned in the evening, it didn't take long before Apollos, who had not seen the other girl, became even more impatient than before, waiting for Murong in the long night. Yan and Bai Feng have exhausted his patience.
He opened the door, lit candles, and paced back and forth in the studio. He even called Su Qing and Zichai, who were about to sleep, to stay vigil at the studio.
"One more stick of incense! If they don't come back after one more stick of incense, we have to go out and look for them!" This businessman from the Western Regions with blond curly hair reiterated more than once, and then he weighed the pros and cons again and again in his mind. Time passed, but still no action was taken.
Su Qingchu stood by the gate, facing the studio, and replied feebly: "Boss, I have burned several sticks of incense, do you still want to go out to find someone?"
"I want to go out too! But we are foreign merchants. As long as we violate a law, we will immediately attract attention. My painting is not finished yet!" Apollos said hysterically, "There are still two most important parts of my painting. If the part cannot be completed in the end, I, Apollos, will definitely regret it for the rest of my life!"
"Then we should continue to wait?" Zi Chai was sitting obediently in front of the tea table, washing and playing with tea bowls and wooden spoons in familiar ways, and said, "With Sister Murong here, they will definitely be able to turn disaster into good luck! "
"I hope so..." Apollos said: "Since Miss Zichai is so optimistic and open-minded as a friend, I don't need to be impatient. You two don't have to accompany me, a fool."
After saying that, Su Qing ordered Zichai to retreat first, but he stepped forward to comfort Apollos and said: "My respected friend, Apollos! I know this painting is very important to you, so don't worry, I will go out to look for it now. If I can come back to them, it will prove that they are safe and sound!"
After saying that, Su Qing fluttered her sleeves and left, crossing the threshold. Just as she was about to close the door, Zi Chai's voice suddenly came from behind: "Young Master, Young Master! Where are you going?"
Su Qing saw that he was deliberately lowering his voice, as if he was coming to convey some secret, and asked doubtfully: "Zichai, didn't you go back to your room to rest?"
"Mr. Su, it turns out that Sister Murong and Mr. Bai have returned a long time ago. Mr. Bai asked us to keep quiet, let alone let others know our whereabouts and purpose." Zi Chai's voice became softer and softer during the conversation, "They found out Tong Yao’s secret…”
After Su Qing heard this, he suddenly understood. He immediately turned back to Apollos and complimented: "Mr. Apollos, Mr. Apollos! Good news, Miss Murong has returned a long time ago!"
"Ah?" Apollos asked in surprise: "Where has she gone? She didn't even let the servant summon her when she came back."
Su Qing said with a smile: "Hahaha... Mr. Apollos, I'm afraid you don't understand the girl's mood. She is traveling around and dating her lover! She and Mr. Bai have been working hard for days, and they are obviously around, but they are hardly there. When we have an opportunity to get together and talk, we definitely don’t want to be disturbed.”
"It turns out that it was wonderful love that entangled her body and mind?" Apollos also replied heartily: "Ah, the relationship between a boy and a girl, to me, it has been a distant place for dozens of springs and autumns. Things. But now that I think about it, it’s still beautiful!”
Su Qing followed the other party's sentimental expression and continued: "Yes, Mr. Apollos, so I want you to be accommodating for one more day and let them get along well without being disturbed by outsiders."
Apollos couldn't bear to disturb the gathering of others because of his own whims, so he acknowledged it repeatedly. After a while, he packed up his mood, said goodbye to Su Qing, and went back to his room to rest.
Time passed and it was another early morning.
Bai Feng and Su Qing made an appointment. One of them went to the west of the city with Murong Yan to look for someone, and the other took Zishai to Jile Tower to continue monitoring Tong Yao. The two quickly reached an agreement and set off immediately.
Bai Feng originally thought that this trip would not yield much and would probably be in vain. He never imagined how important the woman named "Xia" was to Tong Yao.
Perhaps, he can find some clues from Xia's daily life.
After several visits and interviews, the young swordsman and Murong Yan finally learned that Xicheng was where the military dependents were placed. Most of these people were originally prisoners or prisoners, and only a few of them had normal social status. The Tong family of Woye Town liked to use these human resources to increase their reputation.
The Tong family gave these people a chance to turn over and start over, "Let's go to the front line!"
No one in the town wants to ask them to do legitimate work. People don't want to trust convicts and prisoners. People are more willing to trust people who look good and have a clean foundation. This is normal and human nature. As a result, they had to take the meager money and food, do the most dangerous work, and then receive the most miserable treatment.
But is the truth really as simple as it seems?
Flaw, this woman is the widow of one of Tong Yao's lieutenants. More than once, Bai Feng and Murong Yan heard others chattering and discussing: "Sister Xia, you are really a good girl! It's a pity that your husband blocked an arrow for General Tong and died young! Now that the head of the family is dead, the old mother, My son has to be taken care of by Xia Meizi alone."
If you listen to these gossips too much, you will get bored if you talk too much. They are not as impressive as witnessing them with your own eyes. Therefore, Bai Feng and Murong Yan came to Xia's house and walked around. According to the results, the facts they knew were even worse than the rumors.
Xia was born short and small, with thin arms and legs, but she still went to the small piece of cultivated land every morning to clear wasteland and fetch water. She carried the whole family's water by herself, barefoot, and collected it from the rough sand and gravel. We walked back and forth several times on the road.
Someone asked her to help, but Xia just nodded, smiled, and said "No need."
And her old mother is a frail old man who is very old and may die suddenly at any time. She is responsible for taking care of her son. She does everything she can to feed him and prevent him from running around. But this The old man still looked very tired and distressed.
After the hard work on the farm was completed, she returned home to continue last night's weaving work. After a while, a wealthy businessman came to buy her embroidery at a low price.
Neighbors all knew that Xia's red handiwork was superb, and they all accused the wealthy businessman of being rich and unkind, and bullying a widow who didn't understand the market. Xia Meizi didn't want to drive away such a stable business, so she had to stand on the side of the wealthy businessman and speak for him.
"I know everyone likes the embroidery I make. This gentleman took the trouble to come here to provide me with silk fabrics so that I can show off my skills. But I can't forget this kindness. As long as the price can support our family's life, that's it. .”
Xia's clothes are shabby but not slovenly, but as soon as he stands next to the precious silk, one can't help but feel pitiful - since ancient times, silkworm farmers have not been those who wear silk silk.
Seeing this, Bai Feng and Murong Yan secretly made up their minds to use this opportunity to gain Xia's trust.
